Home » NEWS STORIES

PAIN PILLS

1 Jul
Written By

FDA Panel Urges Ban on Vicodin, Percocet
Also recommends dosing limits for OTC painkillers that contain acetaminophen, like Tylenol or Excedrin, because of link to liver damage.
By Steve Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) — The popular prescription painkillers Vicodin and Percocet, which combine acetaminophen with an opiate narcotic, should be banned, and the maximum dose of over-the-counter painkillers with acetaminophen, like Tylenol or Excedrin, should be lowered, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel urged Tuesday.
The panel’s recommendations followed the release of an FDA report last month that found severe liver damage, and even death, can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen — which is easier on the stomach than such painkillers as aspirin and ibuprofen — can cause such injury.
The dangers from use or abuse of Vicodin and Percocet may be even more concerning, one key panelist said.
“It seems to me that problems with opiate combinations are clearly more prevalent,” Dr. Lewis S. Nelson, chairman of the FDA’s Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee, said during a Tuesday press conference held after the two-day meeting.
Explaining the panel’s 20-17 vote to ban prescription acetaminophen/opiate drugs, Nelson said, “There are many deaths that relate to problems with prescription opiate combination acetaminophen products, whereas the number of deaths clearly related to the over-the-counter products are much more limited.”
But the FDA advisers also took aim at over-the-counter (OTC) acetaminophen products. The agency’s report found that many people may consume more than the recommended dose of these pain relievers in the mistaken belief that taking more will prove more effective against pain without posing health risks. Consumers may also not know that acetaminophen is present in many over-the-counter products, including remedies for colds, headaches and fevers, making it possible to exceed the recommended acetaminophen dose, the report said.
Based on that, the FDA advisory panel voted 21-16 to lower the maximum daily dose of nonprescription acetaminophen, which is currently 4 grams — equal to eight pills of a drug such as Extra Strength Tylenol. The panel was not asked to recommend another maximum daily dose.
The panel also voted 24-13 to limit the maximum single dose of acetaminophen to 650 milligrams. The current single dose of Extra Strength Tylenol, for instance, is 1,000 milligrams.
The panel also voted 26-11 to make the 1,000-milligram dose of acetaminophen available only by prescription.
The advisers voted against other safety restrictions for other over-the-counter drugs such as NyQuil or Theraflu, which contain acetaminophen and other ingredients that treat cough and runny nose. Patients often mix the cold medications with pure acetaminophen drugs, like Tylenol, leaving them vulnerable to dangerously high levels of acetaminophen.
The FDA is not obligated to follow the recommendations of its advisory panels, but it typically does so.
Dr. Sandra L. Kweder, deputy director of the FDA’s Office of New Drugs at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, gave a strong hint of what the agency might do with the advisory panel’s recommendations.
“I think the top recommendation of this committee was that the agency needs to do something to address and decrease the usual dose of acetaminophen, both for over-the-counter products and also prescription combination products,” Kweder said during the press conference.
She added, “There was a clear message that there is a high likelihood of overdose from prescription narcotic/acetaminophen combination products. If we don’t eliminate these combination products, we should certainly at least lower the usual acetaminophen dose patients receive in those prescription combination products.”
At the very least the agency should require new warning labels on these prescription combinations that alert patients to the potential of liver damage if they take too much acetaminophen, she said.
Speaking for the OTC drug industry, Lynda A. Suydam, of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), said her group was “pleased the committee did not recommend eliminating these important nonprescription products.”
However, in a statement, she added that CHPA was “disappointed in [the panel's] divided vote to lower the maximum daily dose and the single dose of 1000 mg acetaminophen. There was a notable lack of data referenced by the committee to support these recommendations and overwhelmingly strong data affirming the efficacy and safety of acetaminophen in its current dosage forms.”
Another expert took a different view. Dr. John H. Klippel, chief executive officer of the Arthritis Foundation, said Tuesday’s votes were very important to “people with arthritis because acetaminophen is a very commonly used medication to control pain.”
“Lowering the maximum dose, providing that kind of guidance to patients, if it increases safety, would be something the arthritis community would support,” he said. “Every person who takes this drug sees it as valuable, but they want clear guidance so they won’t be harmed by the drug.”
Dr. Lewis W. Teperman, director of transplant surgery and vice chairman of surgery at New York University School of Medicine, said he also supported the panel’s decision to recommend lowering doses of acetaminophen.
“It’s not that the doses can get you in trouble, but the very young and the very old can get into trouble easily,” he said. Also if you are sick, there is the danger of taking cold remedies that contain acetaminophen plus taking pure acetaminophen drugs as well, he noted.
But Klippel added that the vote to make the 1,000-milligram dose of acetaminophen available by prescription only would overburden the health-care system. “Given the massive number of people who rely on this drug for pain control, making the maximum dose requiring a prescription, I think, is going to place undo burden on the health-care system,” he said.
Teperman disagreed.
“The 1,000 milligram pill should never be at the patient’s discretion. It should only be prescribed by a physician,” Teperman said. “If you took an entire bottle of Tylenol Extra Strength, three days later you would be in a coma and needing a liver transplant.”
Filed Under: NEWS STORIES
21 Jun
Written By

8 Hair Myths, Busted
Hair myths circulate like urban legends, but which horror stories are just hype? Before you toss your favorite shampoo or swear off color, separate fact from fiction.

Grant Cornett/Time Inc. Digital Studio

1. True or False?

Frequent Trims Make Your Hair Grow Faster

FALSE. “Hair grows from the roots, not the tips,” says Michael Wright, senior research scientist at Nexxus Salon Hair Care. A trim removes split ends to prevent them from moving farther up the hair shaft, saving you from having to cut more to eliminate the damage. Keep your hair healthy in the first place with conditioning treatments and sun and heat protectors, says Saurabh Desai, principal scientist at Aveeno Nourish+.

2. True or False?

Brushing Your Hair Often Makes It Healthier

FALSE. Brushing your hair 100 times before bed won’t make your hair look any better. In fact, it might make it look worse. “Over-brushing can dull hair by destroying the cuticle, as well as causing split ends and breakage,” says Desai. And using the wrong tool could further harm hair. In general, plastic and metal bristles can weaken the hair cuticle and cause damage or static and flyaways, so consider switching to a gentle brush with natural boar bristles. “Stick to just enough brushing to keep your hair from becoming tangled — the brush should be able to move through the hair with ease,” says N.Y.C. celebrity hairstylist Miok. For some, that might mean as little as a few strokes just once or twice a day.

3. True or False?

Massaging Your Scalp Stimulates Hair Growth

FALSE. “Scalp massage can increase blood circulation, decrease stress and help distribute the scalp’s natural oils onto the hair,” says Desai. “All of this may lead to better functioning of the cells that are creating hair follicles, so your hair grows at its optimal rate — however, that rate will not increase.” On average, hair grows a half inch every month.

4. True or False?

Chemical Straighteners Change Your Texture Permanently

FALSE. “As hair grows, your natural texture returns,” says celebrity hairstylist Serge Normant at N.Y.C.’s John Frieda Salon. After a straightening treatment, the visible hair will be permanently altered, but the chemical process can’t penetrate your roots. Likewise, daily blowout devotees might think they’ve unkinked their curls for good because hair starts to seem straighter over time, but what they’re actually seeing is damaged hair that has lost texture, not a permanent change.

5. True or False?

Wearing a Ponytail in the Same Area Can Give You a Bald Spot

TRUE. “The effect is called traction alopecia. The constant tugging by a tight band can scar hair follicles and cause them to stop growing new hair,” says Doris Day, a dermatologist in N.Y.C. She suggests switching pony positions daily to alleviate tension. Tie back hair with a soft elastic band and wrap the ponytail as loosely as possible, suggests Desai. It’s not just ponytails that can be the culprit, either — headbands, braids and barrettes may result in similar damage when repeatedly worn in the same spot.

6. True or False?

A Cold Rinse Adds Shine and Tames Frizz

TRUE. A blast of cold water at the end of your shower can make hair appear shinier because it temporarily helps the cuticle flatten down onto the hair shaft, explains Desai. But the results might not last if you don’t properly dry your hair. Make sure the cuticle remains flat by applying a deep conditioner or silicone-based product to seal it.

7. True or False?

Hair Can Become Immune to Shampoo

FALSE. Shampoo will always do its job: clean. So why does it seem like your favorite bottle suddenly stops working? “Shampoo contains ingredients that condition and provide styling benefits, but it can also leave a residue that builds up,” says Desai. If you start to notice dullness, use a clarifying shampoo (try Nexxus Aloe Rid Gentle clarifying shampoo, $11; at drugstores) once or twice a month to remove accumulated product — any more often and you could strip hair of its healthy natural oils.

8. True or False?

Coloring Can Change Your Hair’s Texture

TRUE. Temporarily, of course — but sometimes for the better. Permanent color removes the protective layer on your hair and lifts the cuticles so dyes are able to penetrate, says Desai, while semipermanent dye deposits color onto hair and is less harsh. Both methods have benefits, says N.Y.C. trichologist David H. Kingsley: “Color can swell the hair shaft and give it body.” The change is especially noticeable on women with fine or thinning hair, as well as those with gray roots.

It’s Your Call … Is Coloring Hair During Pregnancy Dangerous?Check with your doctor first, especially if you have allergies, but “it’s probably not harmful. However, you should wait until the second half of your pregnancy when the baby is fully formed,” says Eileen Krim of Northern Obstetrics and Gynecology in North Hills, N.Y. Can’t go another second without a color fix? Krim recommends highlights “because they start a quarter inch from the scalp, where the dye isn’t being absorbed into the body.” If you’re getting your hair professionally colored, “schedule the appointment for when the salon is less crowded,” she says. “Definitely stay away from peak hours on Saturday afternoon to avoid inhaling fumes.” If you choose to color at home, wait until the third trimester. “Work in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves,” Krim says. Look for dyes that have low or no ammonia, and don’t assume that “natural” dyes are chemical-free — often these contain the same compounds found in regular hair color.- Alonna Friedman


http://theworldasiseeitbloganddesigns.com/8-hair-myths-busted-hair-myths/

Filed Under: Hair, NEWS STORIES

COOL ARTICLE THAT I FOUND

21 Jun
Written By

Love Lessons from Dad
Singles share the best love advice their dads have given…maybe it’ll work for you, too!

In honor of Father’s Day, we asked daters around the country for tried and true dad’s advice. Here’s what they told us:

Wait for Mr. Amazing
“Never ever settle—ever. My dad insisted that it’s better to wait around for something great than to waste your time with cheap crap!”—Catherine Cantave, Silver Spring, MD

Beware the b-word
“My father was very adamant about me never being with a guy who didn’t respect women. (I wasn’t even allowed to watch Married With Children growing up, because of the way men on the show treat women.) He also can’t stand the word b*tch, since it’s degrading. This has opened up my eyes to the kind of guys who use the term: Even when guys use it jokingly, it shows a lack of respect, and I now avoid these men.” —Erika Shantz, New York, NY

Tell it like it is
“When I was 16, I was all upset because I wanted to break up with my girlfriend, but was wracked with guilt over it. My father told me, ‘You’re not doing her any favors by pretending everything is OK. The nicest thing you can ever do is be honest with someone.’ I’ve followed that advice since then and am really grateful for it.” —Daniel Beggan, Austin, TX

See with your heart
“My dad quotes Confucius to me! He told me, ‘Beauty comes out of lovers’ views,’ which I take to mean that when you see the love of your life, all you ever see is beauty, always.” —Chunbai Zhang, Boston, MA

Give him a break
“My dad — a theologian and older parent — taught me that if a guy is brave enough to ask you out, and he doesn’t seem like a total con, he deserves one date, even if it’s just coffee and a walk around the block.” —Sarah Cunningham, New York, NY

Be a kiss-up
“When I was in high school, my dad told me to bring flowers to my date’s mother when I was picking a girl up for the first time. It’s a little cheesy, but it worked. I still bring a little something the first time I visit a girl’s parents’ home.” —John Wiseman, Tulsa, OK

Follow the golden rule
“My dad told me to never be too available; instead, make him work to get someone as great as me.” —Elizabeth Harp, Baltimore, MD

Hang in there
“My dad told me that dating is like fishing: You have to cast your line several times before you’ll get a bite. That helps me from getting discouraged.” —Johnny Palmer, Burlington, VT

Date up
“My dad taught me that I should date a man with an education and one who has more experience than I have—someone who has seen the world and has already dated plenty of women. The reason? That way, when he finds you, he’ll know he’s got a good catch!” —Anne Meesriyong, DeKalb, IL

Watch out for weasels
“My dad told me that, ‘If a guy offers to show you the view from his apartment or his incredible fish tank, there likely isn’t either.’ He also instilled in me that I shouldn’t waste my time on someone who doesn’t open the door for me or offer to pay on the first date.” —Lindsay Craig, Atlanta, GA

Don’t work at love
“My father once told me, ‘A relationship should never be a lot of work.’ When people would kvetch about their ‘work-intensive’ relationships, my father would shake his head and say, ‘My relationship has never been work.’ I suspect that if one is, I should run the other way.” —Lillie Marshall, Boston, MA

Have escape money
“My dad tells me to make sure that I always have money in my pocket when I’m going on a date. He’s old-school and believes in a woman being treated like a queen and expects nothing short of that for his daughters. But for those times when you can’t stand to stay out with a dud any longer, he says you have to be able to pay for your meal — and a cab ride if you need it — so you can escape.” —Suzan Barnett, Meriden, CT

Filed Under: Father's Day, NEWS STORIES

COOL STORY

16 Jun
Written By

Teen Outsmarts Doctors In Science Class Self-diagnosis impresses docs who’ve missed signs of her disease for years
By EMILY FELDMAN
Updated 6:25 PM PDT, Mon, Jun 15, 2009
High school senior Jessica Terry studied her own tissue samples as part of her school’s biomedical course. (Photo courtesy Sammamish Reporter)
Eighteen-year-old Jessica Terry, brought slides of her own intestinal tissue into her AP science class and correctly diagnosed herself with Crohn’s disease.
“It’s weird I had to solve my own medical problem,” Terry told CNN affiliate KOMO. “There were just no answers anywhere … I was always sick.”
For years she went from doctor to doctor complaining of vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and stomach pains. They said she had irritable bowel syndrome. They said she had colitis. They said the slides of her intestinal tissue were fine, but she knew that wasn’t right.
“Not knowing much about a disease you’re growing up with is not only nerve-wracking, but it’s confusing,” Terry told the Sammamish Reporter.
So when local pathologists stopped in to teach students in her Biomedical Problems class how to analyze slides, the high school senior decided to give her own intestines a look.
What she found? A large dark area showing inflammation, otherwise known as a granuloma-a sure sign of the intestinal disease.
To confirm her suspicion, she checked in with her teacher.
“‘Ms. Welch! Ms. Welch! Come over here. I think I’ve got something!” she shouted.
Mary Margaret Welch, who has spent 17 years teaching science at Eastside Catholic School, had a feeling Terry was on to something.
“I snapped a picture of it on the microscope and e-mailed it to the pathologist,” Welch said. “Within 24 hours, he sent back an e-mail saying yes, this is a granuloma.”
The finding impressed doctors.
“Granulomas are oftentimes very hard to find and not always even present at all,” said Dr. Corey Siegel, a bowel disease specialist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. “I commend Jessica for her meticulous work.”
While Terry’s glad to finally have answers, she now knows she’ll have a tough road ahead.
Crohn’s disease is an incurable, though treatable condition caused by inflammation in the intestines. It can cause malnutrition, ulcers, pain and discomfort.
Still, she looks towards the future with optimism. She’ll begin nursing school in the fall and hopes to have a kid’s book on Crohn’s disease published.

Filed Under: NEWS STORIES

A VERY GOOD STORY

4 Jun
Written By

For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column called ‘Monday Night At Morton’s.’ (Morton’s is a famous chain of Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from around the globe.) Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your time.
Ben Stein’s Last Column….
============================================
How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today’s World?
As I begin to write this, I ‘slug’ it, as we writers say, which means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is ‘eonlineFINAL,’ and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started. I loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never end.
It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the world’s change have overtaken it. On a small scale, Morton’s, while better than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton’s is not the star galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.
Beyond that, a bigger change has happened. I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.
How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane luxury really be a star in today’s world, if by a ‘star’ we mean someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails.
They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any longer. A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit , Iraq . He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.
A real star is the U.S. soldier who was sent to disarm a bomb next to a road north of Baghdad . He approached it, and the bomb went off and killed him.
A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a piece of unexploded ordinance on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and threw himself on it just as it exploded.. He left a family desolate in California and a little girl alive in Baghdad …
The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists.
We put couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our magazines. The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but stand on guard in Afghanistan and Iraq and on ships and in submarines and near the Arctic Circle are anonymous as they live and die.
I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton’s is a big subject..
There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament…the policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive; the orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery; the teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children; the kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.
Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the World Trade Center as the towers began to collapse.. Now you have my idea of a real hero.
I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters. This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a comic as Steve Martin…or Martin Mull or Fred Willard-or as good an economist as Samuelson or Friedman or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even remotely close to any of them.
But I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all, a good son to the parents who had done so much for me.. This came to be my main task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife and well indeed with my parents (with my sister’s help). I cared for and paid attention to them in their declining years. I stayed with my father as he got sick, went into extremis and then into a coma and then entered immortality with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.
This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in Iraq or the firefighters in New York . I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help others He has placed in my path. This is my highest and best use as a human.
Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will. By Ben Stein
We truly take a lot for granted.

TOUCHING

23 May
Written By


I SAW THIS PICTURE TODAY AND I HAD TO POST IT! THE SOLIDER IS IN HIS BOXERS THAT SAY “I LOVE NEW YORK”. HE WAS SLEEPING WHEN HIS POST CAME UNDER ATTACK AND HE RUSHED OUT SO FAST HE DIDN’T THINK TO PUT PANTS ON. THIS IS HOW WELL THEY ARE TRAINED. HE IS 19 AND ALREADY DOING MORE FOR THE COUNTRY THAN SOME PEOPLE IN THEIR 60′S DO.

Filed Under: NEWS STORIES

SWINE FLU Q & A

27 Apr
Written By
What you need to know and how to help protect yourself from infection.
By the Editors of MSN Health
Swine flu in the U.S.?
If you’re worried about the flurry of news on pandemics, epidemics, and public health emergencies, here are some key facts provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help you understand how swine flu is spread and what you can do to help prevent infection. Current updates on the spread of swine flu are available at the CDC’s Swine Flu Web site.
What is Swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease normally found in pigs and caused by type A influenza viruses. While outbreaks of this type of flu are most common in pigs, human cases of swine flu do happen. In the past, reports of human swine flu have been rare—approximately one infection every one to two years in the United States. From December 2005 through February 2009, only 12 cases of human infection were documented.
How is it spread?
Humans with direct exposure to pigs are those most commonly infected with swine flu. Human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses have been documented; however, it’s not known how easily the spread occurs. Just as the common flu is passed along, swine flu is thought to be spread by coughing, sneezing, or touching something that has the live virus on it.
If infected, a person may be able to infect another person one day before symptoms develop; therefore, a person is able to pass the flu on before they know they are sick. Infected individuals may spread the virus for seven or more days after becoming sick. Those with swine flu should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are showing symptoms, and up to seven days or longer from the onset of their illness. Children might be contagious for longer periods of time.
Can I catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. The CDC says that swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food. Properly cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills all bacteria and viruses.
What are the symptoms of swine flu?
Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of a regular flu: fever and chills, sore throat, cough, headache, body aches, and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting can also be present. Without a specific lab test, it is impossible to know whether you may be suffering from swine flu or another flu strain, or a different disease entirely.
What precautionary measures should I take?
The same everyday precautions that you take to prevent other contagious viruses should be used to protect yourself against swine flu. “The best current advice is for individuals to practice good hand hygiene. Periodic hand washing with soap and water, or the use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hand washing is not possible, is a good preventive measure. Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, as germs can more easily gain entrance into your body through those areas,” suggests Rob Danoff, D.O., an MSN health expert. Covering your mouth with a disposable tissue when you cough and sneeze is also a good practice.
The CDC recommends avoiding contact with sick people and keeping your own good health in check with adequate sleep, exercise, and a nutritious diet.
What should you do if you think you are sick with swine flu?
Contact your health care professional, inform them of your symptoms, and ask whether you should be tested for swine flu. Be prepared to give details on how long you’ve been feeling ill and about any recent travels. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. If you feel sick, but are not sure what illness you may have, stay home until you have been diagnosed properly to avoid spreading any infection.
Watch for these symptoms in children. Seek emergency medical care if your child experiences any of the following warning signs:
Fever with a rash
Dehydration
Fast breathing
Bluish skin coloration
Slow to wake or sluggish interaction
Flu-like symptoms improve, but then return and cough worsens
Severe irritability
For adults, emergency medical care is needed if you experience these warning signs:
Difficulty breathing
Dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Pain or pressure in the chest or stomach
Remember that the symptoms for swine flu are almost identical to those you might experience with the regular flu. Only your doctor can give you the correct diagnosis.
Are there medicines effective in treating swine flu in humans?
The current strain of the swine flu appears to respond to the use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) for those infected. For treatment, these antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within two days of the appearance of symptoms).
Filed Under: NEWS STORIES

EVEN MORE SCARY

26 Apr
Written By

US declares public health emergency for swine flu
April 26th, 2009 @ 2:58pm
WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. declared a public health emergency Sunday to deal with the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for approaching hurricanes.
Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been mild _ and U.S. health authorities can’t yet explain why.
“As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease,” predicted Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We’re going to see more severe disease in this country.”
At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.
Top among those is declaring the public health emergency. As part of that, Napolitano said roughly 12 million doses of the drug Tamiflu will be moved from a federal stockpile to places where states can quickly get their share if they decide they need it. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas.
Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure _ one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a “declaration of emergency preparedness.”
“Really that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re preparing in an environment where we really don’t know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be.”

THIS STUFF SCARES ME BECAUSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD KILL ME. SO WHEN I HEAR THINGS LIKE THIS I GET SCARED BECAUSE IF I CATCH THIS CHANCES ARE I WON’T RECOVER BECAUSE OF THE INFUSIONS AND WHAT THEY DO TO MY IMMUNE SYSTEM.

SCARY

25 Apr
Written By

Mexico fights swine flu with ‘pandemic potential’
April 25th, 2009 @ 12:02pm
By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press Writer
MEXICO CITY (AP) - A new swine flu strain that has killed as many as 68 people and sickened more than 1,000 across Mexico has “pandemic potential,” the World Health Organization chief said Saturday, and it may be too late to contain the sudden outbreak.
The disease has already reached Texas and California, and with 24 new suspected cases reported Saturday in Mexico City alone, schools were closed and all public events suspended in the capital until further notice _ including more than 500 concerts and other gatherings in the metropolis of 20 million.
A hot line fielded 2,366 calls in its first hours from frightened city residents who suspected they might have the disease. Soldiers and health workers handed out masks at subway stops, and hospitals dealt with crowds of people seeking help.
The World Health Organization’s director-general, Margaret Chan, said the outbreak of the never-before-seen virus is a very serious situation and has “pandemic potential.” But she said it is still too early to tell if it would become a worldwide outbreak.
“The situation is evolving quickly,” Chan said in a telephone news conference in Geneva. “A new disease is by definition poorly understood.”
This virus is a mix of human, pig and bird strains that prompted WHO to meet Saturday to consider declaring an international public health emergency _ a step that could lead to travel advisories, trade restrictions and border closures. Spokesman Gregory Hartl said a decision would not be made Saturday.
Scientists have warned for years about the potential for a pandemic from viruses that mix genetic material from humans and animals. Another reason to worry is that authorities said the dead so far don’t include vulnerable infants and elderly. The Spanish flu pandemic, which killed at least 40 million people worldwide in 1918-19, also first struck otherwise healthy young adults.
This swine flu and regular flu can have similar symptoms _ mostly fever, cough and sore throat, though some of the U.S. victims who recovered also experienced vomiting and diarrhea. But unlike with regular flu, humans don’t have natural immunity to a virus that includes animal genes _ and new vaccines can take months to bring into use.
But experts at the WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the nature of this outbreak may make containment impossible. Already, more than 1,000 people have been infected in as many as 14 of Mexico’s 32 states, according to daily newspaper El Universal. Tests show 20 people have died of the swine flu, and 48 other deaths were probably due to the same strain.
The CDC and Canadian health officials were studying samples sent from Mexico, and airports around the world were screening passengers from Mexico for symptoms of the new flu strain, saying they may quarantine passengers.
But CDC officials dismissed the idea of trying that in the United States, and some expert said it’s too late to try to contain spread of the virus.
They noted there had been no direct contact between the cases in the San Diego and San Antonio areas, suggesting the virus had already spread from one geographic area through other undiagnosed people.
“Anything that would be about containing it right now would purely be a political move,” said Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota pandemic expert.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon said his government only discovered the nature of the virus late Thursday, with the help of international laboratories. “We are doing everything necessary,” he said in a brief statement.
But the government had said for days that its growing flu caseload was nothing unusual, so the sudden turnaround angered many who wonder if Mexico missed an opportunity to contain the outbreak.
“Why did it break out, where did it break out? What’s the magnitude of the problem?” pizzeria owner David Vasquez said while taking his family to a movie Friday night, despite warnings to stay out of theaters.
Across Mexico’s capital, residents reacted with fatalism and confusion, anger and mounting fear at the idea that their city may be ground zero for a global epidemic.
Authorities urged people to stay home if they feel sick and to avoid shaking hands or kissing people on the cheeks.
Outside Hospital Obregon in the capital’s middle-class Roma district, a tired Dr. Roberto Ortiz, 59, leaned against an ambulance and sipped coffee Saturday on a break from an unusually busy shift.
“The people are scared,” Ortiz said. “A person gets some flu symptoms or a child gets a fever and they think it is this swine flu and rush to the hospital.”
He said none of the cases so far at the hospital had turned out to be swine flu.
Jose Donasiano Rosales, 69, got nervous on the subway and decided to get out one stop early.
“I felt I couldn’t be there for even one more station,” Donasiano said as he set up a rack to sell newspapers on a busy thoroughfare. “We’re in danger of contagion. … I’m worried.”
The local Roman Catholic Church recommended that priests shorten Mass; place communion wafers in worshippers’ hands, instead of their mouths; and ask parishioners to avoid kissing or shaking hands during the rite of peace. The Archdiocese also said Catholics could fulfill their Mass obligation by radio.
One official said Mexico City may not be the epicenter of the outbreak _ and could be appearing to the brunt simply because it is home to the most sophisticated medical centers.
“The country’s best health care facilities are concentrated in the city,” said city Health Secretary Armando Ahued. “All the cases here get reported, that’s why the number is so high.”
The same virus also sickened at least eight people in Texas and California, though there have been no deaths north of the border, puzzling experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A “seed stock” genetically matched to the new swine flu virus has been created by the CDC, said Dr. Richard Besser, the agency’s acting director. If the government decides vaccine production is necessary, manufacturers would need that stock to get started.
The CDC says two flu drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem effective against the new strain. Roche, the maker of Tamiflu, said the company is prepared to immediately deploy a stockpile of the drug if requested. Both drugs must be taken early, within a few days of the onset of symptoms, to be most effective.
Mexico’s Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said the country has enough Tamiflu to treat 1 million people _ only one in 20 people in greater Mexico City alone _ and that the medicine will be strictly controlled and handed out only by doctors.
At Mexico’s National Institute of Respiratory Illnesses, Adrian Anda waited to hear whether his 15-year-old daughter had the frightening new disease. She had been suffering a cough and fever for a week.
“If they say that it is, then we’ll suffer. Until then, we don’t want to think about it,” he said.

Filed Under: NEWS STORIES

12 AMUSING EXCUESES FOR BEING LATE TO WORK

7 Apr
Written By

By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
There is no worse feeling than waking up in the morning, rested from good night’s sleep, and glancing at the clock, only to do a double-take: You’re late!
For most people, knowing they’re running late for work strikes the fear of God within them and as a result, they move like there’s a fire under their feet to get ready. They hustle, scramble, frantically throw things into a bag and are out the door to ensure a timely — though unkempt and graceless — arrival at the office.
But for a smaller group of people, knowing they are running late for work does absolutely nothing except stimulate their creative juices in order to make up the latest excuse as to why they are late for work — again.
Twenty percent of workers said they arrive late to work at least once a week, according to a February 2009 CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 8,000 workers. Twelve percent said they are late at least twice a week.
One-third (33 percent) of workers blamed traffic for their tardiness, while 24 percent said lack of sleep was the culprit. Ten percent of workers said getting their kids ready for school or day care was the main reason they ran late in the morning. Other common reasons included public transportation, wardrobe issues or dealing with pets.
“While some employers tend to be more lenient with worker punctuality, 30 percent say they have terminated an employee for being late,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.com. “Workers need to understand their company’s policies on tardiness and if they are late, make sure they openly communicate with their managers. Employers have heard every excuse in the book, so honesty is the best policy.”
Usimg your imaginationIf you’ve decided honesty is not the best policy for you, don’t try using any of the following excuses as the reason why you’re late — they’ve been heard before.
Here are 12 of the most outrageous excuses employees have heard for being late to work:

1. My heat was shut off so I had to stay home to keep my snake warm.
2. My husband thinks it’s funny to hide my car keys before he goes to work.
3. I walked into a spider web on the way out the door and couldn’t find the spider, so I had to go inside and shower again.
4. I got locked in my trunk by my son.
5. My left turn signal was out so I had to make all right turns to get to work.
6. A gurney fell out of an ambulance and delayed traffic.
7. I was attacked by a raccoon and had to stop by the hospital to make sure it wasn’t rabid.
8. I feel like I’m in everyone’s way if I show up on time.
9. My father didn’t wake me up.
10. A groundhog bit my bike tire and made it flat.
11. My driveway washed away in the rain last night.
12. I had to go to bingo.
Follow the cultureThe general rule is that you should be at your desk, working by your designated starting time. Technically, even if you’re at your desk “on time” but you’re still booting up your computer, saying your hellos and making a cup of coffee — you’re late.
Though you should always try your best to be punctual every morning, sometimes it’s safe to observe the company culture. If you arrive to work every morning to find all of your colleagues diligently working asyou’re shuffling in, your tardiness will probably stand out. On the other hand, if most people filter in at their own paces — within reason — an occasional late arrival will probably go unnoticed.
To be on the safe side, try your best to be on time for work every day. Your boss, co-workers and reputation will thank you for it.
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Filed Under: NEWS STORIES
«Previous Page
Next Page»